Semaphore signal



Nov. 21, 1939.

H. R. TRUBSHAW SEMAPHORE SIGNAL Filed Sept. 6, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG. I

FIG. 6

FIG. 7

FIG. 9

Herbert R. Trubshaw Zhwenfor I attorney Nov. 21, 1939. H. R. TRUBSHAW SEMAPHORE SIGNAL Filed Sept. 6, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Herbert R. Trubshaw (Ittomeg UNITED-STAT Patented Nov. 21, 1939 Es f rms-NT}oFFicE SEMAIHORE SIGNAL Herbert R. ITrubshaw, Spokane, Wash. Application September 6, 1938, Serial l \lo.22 8,4 90

Q6 Claims. (or 116-39) I a My invention relates to an improved semaphore signal with operating control means therefor.

This invention has for its main object the provision of a semaphore signal operated by a vacuum which may be simply and efliciently controlled manually.

It is another object of my invention to provide a semaphore which may be permanently attached within the top of a vehicle and which may also be attached to other exterior portions of the vehicle. V

p A further object of my invention hasbeen the provision of a semaphore signal which may be extended horizontally to give one customary signal, or to be extended obliquely to give another signal, thechoice of the signals displayed being controlled manually by the operator of a vehicle. A still further object of my inventionis the provision of a signal device operated by suction means available through the operation of an,

' internal combustion engine'or byothersource of asuction supply. I

Other objects and advantages of the invention will beapparent during the course of the following description.

, In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same, t

Figure l is an elevational View of my signal apparatus,

Figure 2 is a longitudinal, vertical, sectional view of the semaphore signal device of myinven tion, detailing the general relation'oi parts,

7 Figure 3 is a vertical, sectional view through the semaphore signalling arm of my device,

Figure 3a is a vertical, cross sectional view taken onlines '3a-3a of Figure 3, I

Figures-4 and 5 are vertical, cross sectional views taken on lines 4-4 and 5--5 respectively of Figure 2.-

Figure 6 is a top plan view of the valve means used in connection with mysignal, Figure '7 is an elevational view, with portions in crosssection 'for convenience of illustration,

Figure '8 is'a perspective :view of the inner end of the semaphore arm, l

Figure 9 is a view detailing a modified form of my invention and Figure 10 illustrates the valve used in connection with this modified form. As best seen in Figure 1 my signal apparatus consists of a vacuumcylinder I having attached theretoan operating valve 2. The cylinderhead 3 closes one end of the cylinder 1 and a removable cylinder .;head .4 is. provided t 056 the -11. headfl byscrewsla. The semaphore 6 is pivot- 1 ally supported-upon the piston-rod 10 by means 24 are grounded in the usualmanner.

cylinder at the oppositev end. "A semaphore housing 5 is supported from the cylinder head 4 and a semaphore signal armfi is retained within the housing. ;A closure plate l-ofyieldable rubber is supported'on' the-end of the semaphore and "15 engages the open end. 8 of the housing 5 to effectively seal the semaphore within .the housing during such time as the deviceis inoperative.

Referring now to'Figure 2, where in cross sec- .tion the principal parts Lof the device are"shown,"10

within the vacuum cylinder l is'provided a piston -9secured-to a piston rod 10 by means of nuts H, ll engagingathreaded end l2; of the piston rod. The piston 'rod lll has secured thereto an adjustable collar l3. The cylinder head 4 pro-" 5 vides-a bearing surface l l-forthe pistonrod'and a, stufilng box or gland" l5 which consists of'a leather I6 maintained in close. engagement around the rod glfl" by means of the coil spring The latter ,;mechanism-is attached to the of the pivot pin 58. .The piston rod lll is cut obliquely at i9 *torprovide a .stop' for the signal -arm-,when it is swung in an upward oblique angle. The semaphore is constructed of I a: metal frame member 20 with transparent and colored side plates-21 'securedltherein; Upon socket support ,members- 22 I provide lamp sockets 23 for the reception of light bulbs, 24:used to illuminate 3 the semaphore when a signal-is given. The 'bulbs A conductor wire 25isfattachedto "each of the'sockets' 23 andled to an L.-shaped contact 26' supported 'uponand insulated from the rear upper-surface of. thesemaphore. At the outer end. -of the semaphore and securely attached thereto is a U-shapedbracket 28 which carries a'yieldable closureiplate 'l'firmly secured inplace by means of a screwJ-29 threadedfinto a nut 30 formed as .a .part of "the U-shaped bracket;

Referring nowto Figure 3,' the piston rod 1 I]- is xshown as entering therear of the semaphore housing "through an elongated slot 3| where it is retained by'means'of the pivot pin l8. A pair 545 i of guide stud pins 32is provided and securely mounted upon]. the housing 'of the semaphore to travel in the slots 34 of the guides 33.

At its outer end the guide '33 and the slot 34 are upturned-as-at '35 for purposes that; will later 51 be described.

Suction lines. 36. and 31 are provided at either end of the vacuum cylinder. l .An'insulated contact 38"depends from the interior of-the semaphore housing Band a conductor wire 39:.is..led 5'5 therefrom to a suitable source of electrical energy. As best seen in Figures 6 and 7 a ported valve 2 is shown provided with a valve core 46 rotatably and slidably supported within the valve casing. At its inner end the valve core is provided with a valve stem 4|. A valve lever 42 is connected to the core and operates in a bayonet slot 43 in the casing 2. The vacuum line 44 is run from the casing 2 to a suitable source of suction and the tube 36 also is led to and securely engages the casing 2. The tube 31 branches into a Y adjacent the valve and the two arms 31' and 3'!" of the Y also engage and are supported The device of myinvention is constructed so that it may be readily installed or built into that portion of an automobile bodyover the head of the driver. By suitable attaching clamps, not shown in the drawings, the device will fit between the ceiling of the vehicle and the outer curved surface and a certain'portion of the housing 5 will extend outwardly. It is contemplated that in some instances the housing5 and the closure plate 1 will be shaped so as to conform to the general contour of the body top.

When the device has been properly placed in a vehicle body a tube 44 is connected to a suitable source of suction as for example the manifold of an internal combustion engine. The conductor wire 39 is led to a convenient electrical outlet or to the storage battery of the vehicle. The valve lever 42 will extend downwardly through a slot or slit in the ceiling upholstery of the automobile, so that it will be readily access'ible to the driver when he desires to make a signal by extending the semaphore outwardly in a horizontal position or upwardly at an oblique angle.

When it is desired to make the left signal the lever 42 .is tripped to the left, as in Figure 1, at which time the suction line 44 is connected through ports in the valve to the suction line 36 at the left hand end of the cylinder. As the air in the cylinder is drawn outwardly through line 36 the piston is drawn to the left and through its connection by means of the piston rod H] to the semaphore 6, the semaphore slides outwardly on a horizontal plane. The guide pins 32 areengaged the slotted guides 33 and a suitable bearing surface to carry the weight of the semaphore is thereby provided.

As the piston 9 and the piston rod I0 travel outwardly or to the left and approach thefull stroke, the collar |3 abuts the valve stem 4| and the travel of the piston and the semaphore ceases.

At approximately the same moment that the semaphore stops inits travel the contacts 26 and 38 engage each other and a circuit from a ground connection and through the light bulbs 24 is completed and the bulbs light, thus illuminating the semaphore and making it readily discernible to other drivers and to pedestrians.

To permit the piston 9 to travel to the left it is necessary that air be admitted to the right hand end of the cylinder and this is accom- 49 which is registered with the tube 31" and this air travelling through the line 31 completely fills the cylinder so that no vacuum is created which would retard the piston. When the operator wishes to return the semaphore to its normal inoperative position the lever 42 is returned from the left oblique position to the normal vertical position shown in Figure 1. Suction from line 44 which is registered with line 31 through the ports of the valve now draws the air out of the right hand section of the cylinder and the pis ton 9 is urged to the right. To prevent a vacuum forming on the left hand end portion of the cylinder under these conditions the line 36 is registered with the port 49 and air from the outside is drawn into the cylinder.

At such time as the operator wishes to indicate a right signal, the valve lever 42 is swung to the right oblique position indicated by the dotted line in Figure 1. Under these circumstances the Suction on line 44 operates in a similar manner as for the left hand turn through the registry of ports within the valve. However, because the bayonet slot 43 has one end upturned, the valve lever 42 not only swings to the right, but is also guided in the slot 43 so as to withdraw the core 40 and the valve stem4| a short distance.

The movement of the valve stem 4| is sufficient to allow the collar 3 on the piston rod II) to pass that point and the semaphore is urged a slightdistance further outwardly. As for a left hand turn the contacts 26 and 38 engage and an electrical circuit is completed whereby the light bulb 24 will be lighted. The guide pins 32 travelling in the slotted guides 33 reach the upturned end,,

- plate I mounted upon the outer end of the semaphore arm is drawn into engagement with the open end of the housing 5 to effectively seal the semaphore within the housing from moisture, dirt, and the like.

Under some circumstances it is contemplated that'the device be mounted upon the rear of a motor vehicle or of a trailer, as is used in heavy trucking operations. Remote control, therefore,

would be imperative and Figure 9 illustrates the v manner in which such remote control could be obtained.

Within the cylinder I have provided the auxiliary cylinder and piston 46. The valve 2 would normally be mounted somewhere adjacent the steering wheel or dashboard of the vehicle. The line 31" is to be connected to line 31, the line 36 communicates with the lefthand space -in the'cylinder and the line 3'! is to be connected to the line 41 and the cylinder 45.

In this instance when a left hand signal is being given, the collar l3 engages the plug piston 46 andthe semaphore is stopped in a horizontal .manner as described in the preferred embodiment of my invention. When a right hand signal is to be given and the signal lever has been moved to the right oblique angle, suction on line 36 draws the piston to the left and suction on line 41 lifts the plug piston 46, permitting the collar 13 to pass that point and for the guide pins 32:

to travel upwardly in the upturned end of the slotted guides 33.

able piston in the cylinder, a rod for said piston,

and an illuminated indicating arm pivotally connected with said rod, the combination with manually operable valve means'having vacuum connections with said cylinder, of a collar on said rod within the cylinder, stop means in the path of movement of said collar to limit movement of said rod whereby the arm may be slidably extended to one indicating position upon actuation of said valve means in one direction, and means operable upon actuation of said valve means in another direction for withdrawing said stop means from the path of movement of said collar whereby the arm may be swung on its pivot to another indicating position.

.1 2. In a direction indicator having selective positions and including a vacuum cylinder, a slidable piston in the cylinder, a rod for said piston, and an illuminated-indicating arm pivotally connected with said rod, the combination with manually pperable valve means having vacuum connections with said cylinder, of an adjustable collar on said rod within the cylinder, stop means in the path of movement of said collar to limit the movement of said rod whereby the arm may be slidably extended to one indicating position upon actuation of said valve means in one direction, and means operable upon actuation of said valve means in another direction for withdrawing said stop means from the path of movement of said collar whereby the arm may be swung on its pivot to another indicating position.

P 3. In a direction indicator having selective po sitions and including a vacuum'cylinder, a slidable piston in the cylinder, a rod for said piston,

and an illuminated indicating arm pivotally connected with said rod, the combination with manually operable valve means having vacuum connections with said cylinder, of a collar on said rod within the cylinder, stop means under vacuum control in the path of movement of said collar to limit the movement of said rod whereby the arm may be slidably extendedto one indicating position upon actuation of said valve means in one direction, and means operable upon actuation of said valve means in another direction for the withdrawal of said stop means from the path of movement of said collar whereby the arm may be swung on its pivot to anotherindicating position.

4. In a direction indicator having selective positions and including a vacuum cylinder, a slidable piston in the cylinder, a rod for the piston, and an illuminated indicating arm pivotally connected with said rod, the combination with manually operable valve means having vacuum connections with said cylinder, of a collar on said rod Within the cylinder, stop means under manual control in the path of movement of said collar whereby the arm may be slidably extended upon actuation of said valve means in one direction to one indicating position, and means operable upon actu-' ation of said valve means in another direction for withdrawing said stop means from the path of movement of said collar whereby the arm may be swung on its pivot to another indicating position.

5. In a direction indicator having selective positions and including a vacuum cylinder, a slid-v able piston in the cylinder, a rod for the piston, and an illuminated indicating arm pivotally connected with said rod, the combination with manually operable, cylindrical valve means having vacuum connections with said cylinder, of a collar on said rod within the cylinder, stop means including an extension lug on the valve in the path of movement of said collar adapted upon actuation of said valve means in one direction, to limit movement of said rod whereby the arm may be slidably extended to one indicating position, and means operable upon actuation of said valve means in another direction for withdrawing said lug from the path of movement of said collar Wherebythe arm may be swung on its pivot to another indicating position.

6. In a direction indicator having selective positions and including a vacuum cylinder, a slidable piston in the cylinder, a rod for the piston, and an illuminated indicating arm pivotally connected with said rod, the combination with manually operable valve means having vacuum connections withsaid cylinder, of a collar on said rod Wlthinthe cylinder, an auxiliary vacuum chamber and a core therein, said core comprising a stop pin and located in the path of movement of said collar to limit movement of said rod whereby the arm may be slidably extended to one indicating position upon operation of said valve means in one direction, and means operable upon actuation of said valve means in another direction for applying differential pressure to said core whereby the stop pin will be withdrawn from the path of movement of said collar and the arm may be swung on its pivot to another indicating position.

' HERBERT R. TRUBSHAW. 

